


Ancient Sin

by CindyBarnard



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Blood Magic, Curses, F/M, Magic Mirrors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-15
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-18 10:16:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18118793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CindyBarnard/pseuds/CindyBarnard
Summary: Daphne is called by a mysterious magic mirror. She has been chosen to repay the sin of her ancestor in order to save her family.Can she make the ultimate sacrifice?





	Ancient Sin

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [DBQ2019Round1](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/DBQ2019Round1) collection. 



  
  


 

_The shadows encircled her, closing in around her as she tried to find a place to hide from them. There was no place to go to though, she was effectively trapped. Daphne felt her breath hitch as her eyes darted around hoping for a gap to run through. No gap came and the shadows just kept coming closer and closer…_

 

_What happened in the shadows?_

 

_Whispering reached her in the darkness that came from the shadows yet she couldn't make out what they were saying. The whispers increased in tempo as the shadows enclosed completely around her._

 

_There was something in the shadows, whispering..._

 

_Daphne tried to yell but no sound escaped her lips. Panicked her hands flew up to feel her mouth but only for her to attempt screaming in blind fear without success. Her mouth was sewn shut!_

 

_The shadows reached her and revealed a black mirror hovering in front of her. Black as night._

 

_Daphne collapsed to the ground in pure terror and hopelessness to await being eaten whole by the shadows and harsh whispering from the mirror... She could finally hear what it was saying;_

 

_“Blood must beget blood. The Debt is Due.”_

 

_Daphne’s eyes widened as the words settled in her ears and then closed her eyes in waiting for the inevitable to happen as the shadows fell upon her. Welcoming death as the message so obviously stated must happen._

 

She jerked awake in the darkness of the room. Her breathing heavy as sat up and tried to calm her racing heart and to drag air into her heaving lungs. Daphne was acutely aware of realising that the dream wasn’t just a dream as the same words were whispering in her room. Daphne threw back the covers and got out of bed while her eyes darted around sharply to try and determine where the single whispering voice was coming from, her hand clutching her wand from the bedside table. The sound settled finally to a single point of origin and Dahne swallowed heavily as her feet carried her towards it. Out of her bedroom door, down the dark hallway, down the main staircase, till finally, she came to a stop in front of a wood-panelled wall in their drawing room.

Her heart was still pounding loudly in her chest as she realised the voice was coming from beyond the wall. Daphne knew the old Manor house had various secret hallways and rooms yet she had always thought she knew each and every one of them but she didn't know of one here. Daphne started tapping the panel as she determined where it sounded hollow. Finally, she managed to get the exact area where the hidden door must be and lifted her wand. With trembling fingers, she muttered the revealing enchantments and with apprehension watched the magical wards glowing that was responsible for hiding the secret entry.

 

The red colour indicated a blood ward.

 

Daphne took a deep breath and with another muttered spell made a small cut on her palm. As the blood started to pool she then placed her hand to the wood to let her blood be imprinted. Immediately when she dropped her hand she saw her palm imprint glow gold before being absorbed into the wood and then with a click sound the panel slid open. With a quick glance around her at the dark and quiet room, she slipped into the hidden passage. The passage instantly lit up with a single wall sconce to reveal a narrow dusty corridor. Daphne slowly walked down it to then enter a small domed room that was equally as dusty and lit with a candelabra hanging from the centre of the dome. Underneath the candelabra, a mirror was suspended in mid-air. The same mirror from her dream.

 

With a fortifying breath, she stepped forward to stand in front of the mirror. It was oval with an antique bronze frame. The blackness of the glass mesmerised her instantly. It was as if it was alive… moving… swirling. A never-ending void.

 

The mirror now spoke to her directly.

 

_“Blood must beget blood. A debt was begotten by Greengrass stealing by blood that of which is Peverall. A debt waiting centuries fold for when the Mirror calls. Peverall will receive Remembrance and Greengrass will be Absolved. Blood must beget Blood by second Winter snowfall or balance will forcibly be restored by smiting down with blood that of which is Greengrass. The Chosen has been called.”_

 

The mirror went quiet but then the black swirling void settled to show an image. The image looked back at her with a slight smirk. It was herself.

 

Only, Daphne realised her hair and clothes were different. Ancient really. Medieval was the word that came to mind as she studied them more. But the face was definitely her own… Yet the eyes was colder. And that smirk was positively heinous. Nothing like her own at all as Daphne knew that although she was a typical Slytherin she wasn't evil like this mirror image appeared to be. The doppelganger seemed to stare just as intently at Daphne which made her quite uncomfortable and therefore she finally broke the gaze with the magical mirror.

 

Daphne stepped back unsteadily as the shock of everything finally started to set in. A curse? On her family? What did their ancestors do to the Peverells? Of course, she knew the Potter family was the Peverell descendants after all the war secrets got revealed once You Know Who was defeated. But what did the Greengrass’s and Peverell's have to do with each other? Logically she knew that interaction between the old families was, in fact, a given as the Pure tended to stick together for centuries, but she had never heard whispers of the Greengrass and Peverall families specifically.

 

The mirror went black once more as she started to hyperventilate with the building anxiety of the nightmare followed with this mirror and it's given curse. What was going on? She was the chosen one? She had to die in order to save the family? But why? Why did she have to die?

 

* * *

 

 

“And that concludes the legend, dearest…” Daphne stared at her paternal grandmother in shock.

 

At least now she knew why the curse.

 

Well in truth the curse had been just as much a family legend as the story behind it. At least till now that it was confirmed to be very real. At first, after her discovery of that night, she had tried to shrug it off as a terrible dream or hallucination. Yet after the mirror started whispering to her again at night with cryptic reminders that the given two winters time was counting down, she had started to research. Her research led her to an ancestors journal. Said ancestor was from about six hundred years ago. The journal was fragile and handwritten and unintelligible to Daphne. The only reason she knew this was it was due to the hand-drawn images of the mirror and the domed room. In the end, she had taken the journal to her grandmother who translated the old English for Daphne.

 

It was quite simple really. Her ancestor was in an arranged blood betrothal to the only Peverell son. And she didn't want to be. So, as the only way out of the betrothal was by death, she had callously killed him in cold blood. His twin sister was the only Peverell heir left but although the bloodline went on through her children the name didn't. Which were tantamount to a death sentence for any old pure family. It was with her marriage to Percival Potter that it was how the Potters henceforth became the Peverell descendants. But the sister was bitter and inconsolable as she and her twin had been inseparable since birth. She had used old, dark magic to enchant her personal mirror with a curse and then gifted the mirror to the Greengrass family in wait for the day that the mirror will choose someone as the apex for the curse. The journal was written by her ancestor’s brother. He had been a fair man and had condemned his sister for her evil deeds, but it hadn't been enough for Helen Potter nee Peverall. Basically, the curse wanted the chosen Greengrass to sacrifice herself in settlement for the blood sin of her ancestor. Or, after the allotted two years is up after being called the curse will kill the Greengrass name as they had killed the Peverell name. Her brother, the family head since her father had passed away, would die. Without a son. The sisters will live on, but their children will bear the names of their own fathers as is wont with ancient houses like theirs, due to an ancient oath.

  


* * *

 

 

Harry Potter sat back with a sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose where his glasses usually rested. Said glasses was currently lying on his desk in front of him. He was overworked and exhausted. He knew he needed more of a private life, yet he found work to be his only solace after the war. It had been five years since the fall of Voldemort but the after effects of it all was very real and burdening him daily.

 

After a few minutes, Harry once more replaced his glasses and attempted to focus on the report he was writing. He had barely picked up his quill again before he heard his door open softly. Snapping up his head to see who would enter his office without knocking first he was surprised to see Daphne Greengrass closing the door just as softly behind her again. It seemed as if the which was trying to remain undetected to casual observers.

Harry frowned as she turned to meet his gaze, after all, they didn't run in the same circles nor were they friends. At all.

 

Daphne fidgeted with her hands nervously as she locked eyes with Harry Potter. How did one go about asking the saviour to kill you?

 

She was still trying to figure out how to go about it when Harry broke the silence. “Can I help you, Greengrass?”

 

His voice was carefully neutral, yet the frown on his brow gave away his confusion to her unexpected visit. Daphne swallowed heavily and with a stiffening of her spine she raised her chin and spoke the words that had no other way of being spoken.

 

“Yes… As the last living descendant of House Peverell, you must please kill me.”

 

* * *

 

 

Harry was knocking back the firewhiskey without a wince. He had lost track with how many he had downed till thus far. All he knew, it hadn't been enough.

 

The afternoon had been the most bizarre of his life. At least he now knew how the Peverell’s had become the Potter’s…

 

But that was the least of his issues. How could the bint expect him to just kill her? Was she mad? Okay, he got the whole cursed mirror thing, but still? How could his great-great-however- many-greats - grandmother have expected him to just kill someone! After Daphne had told him of the story of their ancestors and the exact wording he had to send her home with the message that he would be in contact. And then he had barged straight into Hermione’s office and relayed everything to her. And trusty old Hermione had then promptly left to go to the Ministry archives and Library.

 

Harry knew if anyone could figure this out, it would be Hermione. He just needed to wait - they have just short of a year’s time remaining apparently. Daphne had taken more than a year to get to the point of actually coming to him with her bizarre story and request.

  


* * *

 

 

It had been a whole month after Daphne’s visit that a harried Hermione, followed closely by her lap-ferret, Draco Malfoy - Harry had to hide his smirk at his personal nickname for Hermione’s fiance - came flooing into Grimmauld Place. Harry could barely greet the couple before Hermione barged forward while pulling her hair in barely contained energy.

 

“It’s in the context! The words ‘Blood must beget blood’! What else can be ‘beget’? The context Harry! It is all in the context interpretation!” Her voice had reached screeching levels and Harry had to blink in confusion at her.

 

He looked over at Malfoy with raised eyebrows, wondering briefly for the millionth time how Malfoy and Hermione worked. Malfoy was doing his thing, placing his hands on her shoulders calmly. “Relax, the poor sod has no idea what you are saying. Explain as to a first-year love.”

 

Harry scoffed at the smirking ferret, he knew it wasn't malicious, it was just how he and Malfoy rolled. It was fun.

 

Hermione visibly breathed in deeply before giving Malfoy an eye-roll and once more turning her attention to Harry. “She doesn’t need to die. Someone can ‘beget’ an heir. It is just another context that ‘beget’ can be used in, and an heir will be of its parents' blood naturally. And since your ancestors would have been married, Diana Greengrass would have borne the next heir to Fabian Peverell. But she stole that heir so to speak… his blood along with the Peverell name. I believe you need to right the past. Daphne and you must get married, and she must beget you an heir, of both your blood. Give the Greengrass name to the Peverell descendant along with the blood that was stolen with the heir so to speak.. before time runs out… in ten months.”

 

* * *

 

 

Harry stood in the foyer of the grand Manor house of Greengrass. Dame Greengrass were watching him calculatingly as he shuffled his feet under her scrutiny. She broke the heavy silence with a bark that made him jump.

 

“You figured it out, boy! Thank goodness. My granddaughter is a bright young witch, yet this curse has blinded her and she refused to see other alternatives. Unfortunately, I was bound to not give her the solution. You had to get it yourselves.” Her eyes twinkled at him as she turned around and walked into a room off the foyer without waiting for him to respond.

 

Harry looked around him with uncertainty when she stopped to call him. “Well, are you coming boy?”

 

* * *

 

 

Daphne had cried with the news. She didn't even mind marrying someone she technically didn't even know. She did admit that she was raised to expect to have her husband chosen for her, so it was, therefore, no shock to her.

 

Dame Greengrass did break to them then the rules of how the marriage was to happen. In the domed room in front of the black mirror to bear witness. The marriage will be a blood contract for life, just like their ancestors would have been. Well, had been with the betrothal.

 

Harry did shudder with that.

 

He hadn’t slept a wink the previous night after Hermione and Malfoy had left. Suddenly he had to get married to an old pureblood family daughter, whom he barely knew. His life had to be bound to her permanently. To someone, he didn't know. She had always only been a face in the crowds at school.  Albeit a pretty face, he could admit.

 

The worst part, the curse didn’t affect him. Just them, so he could turn around and walk away. Yet, he couldn't. How could he live with the knowledge of her brother’s death on his shoulders?

 

The family name thing wasn’t so important to him as he was raised to more modern standards, yet Daphne had ensured him that there was more to the ancient family names than just mere pride. Something that could only be divulged when he decided to take up his position formally as either the Peverell Lord of the Manor or Potter Lord of the Manor. Harry had never even realised there were ancient family Manor houses abandoned somewhere of either family.

 

Either way, he couldn't leave the Greengrass’s to their curse and Augustus Greengrass’s death on his conscious. So, here he was, pledging to marry Daphne in front of a cursed mirror the very next day.

 

Oh, did he mention they had to consummate their bonding in front of the said mirror? Yeah…

 

* * *

 

 

The ancient ritual was kept private. The only people in attendance in the small domed room was Hermione, Malfoy and Ron for Harry. And for Daphne, Augustus, Dame Greengrass and Astoria. The ritual was led by old Alphard Black, whom Harry hadn’t even known was alive. Apparently, he was happily ensconced in the ancient Black Manor as Lord Black, surrounded by his entire Black family of three generations. Having lived in secret since the first Wizarding War to ensure the family’s continuance.

 

Blood was exchanged and vows spoken. They were bound for life.

 

* * *

 

 

After everyone had filed out, Harry and Daphne stood looking carefully at each other. They had to consummate their bond now. How did you sleep with your wife whom you don’t actually know?

 

Harry decided upon seeing her trembling slightly, that he would have to take the lead. Luckily he was no innocent. But by looking at her trembling figure and wide-eyed blue eyes in her flushed face, he wondered if perhaps she was?

 

“Daphne - you have had sex before? Haven’t you?” He cursed himself as his words came out without meaning to.

 

He never had much tact. But it was out there now, so he could only wait for a response. Which he received with the blood draining from her face and her eyes going even wider. “No… I was raised - what I mean is, I am a virgin.”

 

Closing his eyes he counted to five and then opened them once more. Yes, he would have to take the lead. So he decided to take her in, really look at her first. She was beautiful really, dressed in a loose white chiffon caftan with sprigs of white and pink blossoms in her hair. Big baby blue eyes along with deep dimples in her cheeks. Physically, he just realised, he was very attracted to her. In fact, suddenly all he could think of was kissing her. She had a beautiful mouth, all plump and wide lips that could easily settle into her dimpled smile.

 

Harry didn't say a word, he just stepped forward and cupped her face, noticing her sharply indrawn breath as she prepared for what he would do next. He lowered his mouth to her and let his breath tickle across her lips just enough to get her to wet her lips with her tongue and then he claimed her mouth. He kissed her first softly, getting her to relax and with a small moan give in to his kiss. The moment her lips started to move with his he then deepened the kiss and let his tongue slide into her mouth to explore. Daphne was moulding herself to him as the kiss became more urgent, clutching to the fabric of his own white ceremonial robes.

 

She had no idea that Harry Potter, saviour of the wizarding world could kiss like this!

 

Within minutes he started to divulge her of her caftan while her own hands clumsily worked his robes off. A sudden urgency had overtaken them both in a way that Harry has never experienced before. It was as if a frenzy was boiling in his blood and pounding in his ears, he was aware of nothing except the need to claim this witch. To plant his seed deep inside of her.

 

Daphne was experiencing the same frenzy but had no idea how to sate it, all she knew was that she needed him. In ways, she had never experienced before. Harry lowered her onto the ground where they had placed blankets and cushions earlier, in front of the mirror. The mirror had come to life sometime during the bonding ritual with the blackness swirling constantly.

 

* * *

 

The mirror’s living black mass swirled out of its frame to start pulsing down over the entwined, moving, couple on the ground. Finally, as the couple reached their mutual peak the black mass let itself be absorbed into their skin without them even realising it.

 

The trapped soul of Fabian Peverell could finally find peace and be reborn as his descendant’s seed found a welcoming womb.

  


* * *

 

 

Just over forty-one weeks later twin cries were heard as the medi-witch helped Lady Potter to deliver her sons to the waiting arms of Lord Potter.

 

Harry and Daphne sat holding the two bundles with smiles on their faces. Daphne was holding Fabian James Peverell and Harry was holding Albus Severus Potter. The lords of two ancient houses both reborn to take their place to once more protect the ancient portals between the faery and human worlds.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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